Persian Gulf Pro League:
Sepahan wobble keeps Persepolis on top of the table
The Persian Gulf Pro League title race took yet another dramatic twist on Monday after Sepahan was held to a 1-1 draw at home against Malavan.
Soheil Fadakar scored for the visiting side with four minutes from normal time to cancel out Shahriyar Moghanlou’s opener on the hour mark in Isfahan’s Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium.
Sepahan, which is looking for a first league title in eight years, desperately pushed for a winner during 11 minutes of stoppage time but a resolute Malavan side held off the late pressure to go six points clear of the relegation zone.
Malavan manager Maziar Zare’, who spent three seasons as a midfielder in Persepolis, did his former club a big favor as the result meant Yahya Golmohammadi’s side remained on top of the table with 57 points.
The title race, however, is wide open as the top three – Persepolis, Sepahan, and Esteghlal – are only divided by two points.
Trailing Esteghlal and Sepahan by a single point before this week’s matches, the Reds walked away with a massive 1-0 victory in Sunday’s Tehran derby – thanks to an Issa Al-e Kassir’s second-half strike – to leapfrog the Blues and now have their fate in their own hands with three games to spare.
Chasing a sixth Iranian top-flight crown in seven seasons, Persepolis, which will face Golgohar Sirjan in the Hazfi Cup quarterfinals on Sunday, will play away to Paykan in Tehran on return to league action on May 6, a day after Esteghlal’s home fixture against San’at Naft Abadan and Sepahan’s visit to Naft Masjed Soleyman.
Persepolis will host Golgohar again in the league six days later, with Sepahan welcoming Paykan, while defending champion Esteghlal will fly to Rafsanjan to take on sixth-place Mes Rafsanjan.
The final round of fixtures will see Persepolis visit Nassaji Mazandaran on May 18.
Sepahan will also play its last game away from home, squaring off against Mes Kerman, which is now third from bottom and could be battling for survival on the final day.
Esteghlal will finish its campaign with a tricky contest against in-form Tractor, which moved up to fourth on Sunday, at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.